Accessories: Inner box, paulownia wood, lacquered, with gold lettering
Provenance: Kyoto Minami Mitsui family
Dimensions
Height: 8.7–9.1 cm, mouth diameter: 12.7–13.8 cm, foot diameter: 6.0 cm, same height: 1.0 cm, weight: 405 g
The highlight of this tea bowl is the foot. The white glaze on the foot is caused by the loss of transparency of the straw ash glaze, evoking the soft, delicate whiteness of fresh snow. This is likely what the tea master appreciated.
The shape is also a masterpiece of Hagi tea bowls, lacking the typical “shin-shichi-bun” (seven-eighths) proportion.
It has the same soft feel as a well-shaped tea bowl, and when compared to tea bowls from Satsuma or Takatori, it lacks the same stiffness. This is why it pairs well with tea.
A tea bowl must first and foremost fulfill the basic function of holding tea, and in this regard, this tea bowl is truly worthy of being called a masterpiece. It also exudes a sense of grandeur.
The origin of the inscription “Miyoshino” is unclear.
